


everybody lost somebody

by weatheredlaw



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Brother-Sister Relationships, F/M, Family Feels, Mild Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-11
Updated: 2017-09-11
Packaged: 2018-12-26 11:26:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12058023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weatheredlaw/pseuds/weatheredlaw
Summary: Lucretia doesn't need to be in love. She just needs to find someone to spend the rest of her life with.





	everybody lost somebody

**Author's Note:**

> this fic has a direct line to my other magnus and lucretia story, shades of blue, where i delved into their relationship as found siblings during the stolen century. more of that happens here, because that's just the literal best outcome for them. not a super long story, but the summary came to me and i couldn't get the concept out of my head so. here you go! enjoy. :)

_i think pain is waiting alone on the corner_  
_trying to get myself back home_

 

* * *

 

She was not allowed to punish herself.

Lup would not stand for it. And because Lup wouldn't stand for it, Taako let it go. Not because he didn't think for himself – forgetting his sister, all he'd been through, that didn't change who he _was_ – it was just...well, in Taako's words, “a huge fuckin' waste of time.” He had things to do, a world to change, an identity to cement. And just so she'd believe it, he gave her the first hug he'd given her in over a hundred years.

“That's the last one,” he added. “That's the _only_ one, so, like, _savor_ it, alright?”

Lucretia smiled. “Sure thing, Taako.”

Aside from that, it wasn't an issue. It was never spoken of again.

Certainly, Lucretia relived her decision every second she spent alone, which eventually brought her to a quite logical conclusion:

She needed someone to spend the rest of her life with.

Not someone to be _in love_ with, just...someone to live alongside. Someone who would love her, but not like that. Someone who would care for her, but not _like that._ Someone _she_ could love. Just...not like that. Someone _she_ could care for – you get the point.

And then Magnus built a house on a hill beside a forest, and offered her a proposition.

 

* * *

 

She hated that he'd forgotten _them._

She hated that he'd forgotten that he called her _sister_ , once. Twice. A _thousand_ times.

She hated that he'd forgotten every birthday they spent together for a hundred years, or every time he found her somewhere quiet to read. She hated that he'd forgotten that little library they'd found carved into a cliffside and spent the entire day together, reading passages out loud, learning a new language.

She hated that he'd _forgotten_.

And so when he remembered – _god_ it was like coming home.

Seeing him was seeing _everything._ Her Magnus, her _brother_ , he had been larger than life in her own memories of that century they spent together, and now they both remembered. He could remember every squabble, every birthday, every death, every time she mourned him, every time he came back to her.

Every time he said, _Lu_ , and spread his arms and let her run right at him, lifting her up and swinging her around.

She allowed no one to nickname her, but Magnus was special. Magnus was different. Magnus was her brother, and she was his sister and nothing, not even the folly of her decisions, could change that.

And so when he came to the base and said, “Live with me, Lu--”

She dropped everything and threw herself at him. Lucretia felt that familiar, gentle rumble of his laughter and smiled so wide she felt her cheeks ache.

“Let's get old together,” he said. “Whaddya say?” He set her down and gripped her hands in his. They were dry, calloused, everything she remembered. More lines, now. Sunspots here and there. She held onto him tighter and she nodded.

“Yes,” she said. “ _Yes._ Absolutely.”

 

* * *

 

“This is your office,” he said. “Figured you'd want a nice big spot to run the bureau from when you're here.”

Lucretia swallowed. “But you built this... _weeks_ ago.”

“Yeah,” he said, setting down the last box. “I knew what I wanted. Come here.” He went to the stairs and motioned for her to follow. As they reached the second floor, he grasped one of the door handles – a thing made of blue crystal, the kind he _knew_ she loved – and threw it open. “This is your room,” he said. “It was always your room.”

Lucretia stepped inside, and she was... _struck._ It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen, with stained wood floors and a wooden bed painted white, like her staff, with a chest at the end. A writing desk, a vanity, beautiful bay windows – and shelves upon shelves.

“ _Magnus._ ”

“If it's not okay—”

“Shut up,” she said. “It's perfect.”

He grinned. “Yeah?”

Lucretia nodded and felt his hand slip into hers. “Yeah, Magnus. It's beautiful.”

They stood there for a long time, watching the sun stretch across the hill and stretch the shadows on the floor. They talked about the books she could have here, the things she could put in the chest. They talked about Angus's room, about Angus living there with them, about what they were going to make for dinner. The conversation was so normal, so _domestic_ that Lucretia couldn't believe she was saying the words, “I could go to the market in the morning.”

“We'll go together,” Magnus said. “Angus wants to see if they've got wild animals for sale.”

“Are you letting him get one?”

He snorted. “Kid helped saved the damn world. He can have whatever the hell he wants.”

 

* * *

 

Angus got a pseudodragon, in the end. She blew green and yellow smoke rings and ate pieces of steak and sat on his shoulder, perched like a gargoyle until he said her name and she curled against his cheek and practically _purred._

Lucretia looked on fondly, and thought that she could get used to this.

 

* * *

 

“Nice office, boss.”

“Magnus's handiwork.”

Carey whistled. “You two are set up real fine and facy.”

“Mmhm. Do you have those contracts?”

“Uh, yeah. Yeah, right here.” She paused. “Hey, boss?”

“Yes, Carey.”

“You and Magnus...you...I saw what happened,” she said. “I just...it must have been hard. Losing that.”

Lucretia paused over the documents, quill frozen in place. “...Yes,” she said. “It was.”

Carey stepped closer to her desk. “I've wanted to tell you this since everything happened, but we just...haven't been alone.”

Lucretia looked up. Carey's blue skin was a little flushed in her cheeks, and she stared intently at the floor. “What is it?”

Carey sighed. “I think you're _brave_ ,” she said. “I think you're the bravest person I've ever known. To lose everyone, to do what you did. I know you think maybe you did the wrong thing, but...look where you are. If you hadn't, maybe we wouldn't be here. Well, I _know_ I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't have Killian, I wouldn't have met my best friend. None of this...would have happened.”

“Some might argue that would have been for the best.”

“Well some people didn't meet the love of their freaking life because of all this, so those people can shove it.”

Lucretia smiled. “You make a convincing argument.”

“Damn right I do.” Carey sniffed. “Well, I'm gonna head out, ma'am. Pardon all the swearing.”

“Never a problem, Carey.”

 

* * *

 

“So?” Magnus leaned back in his rocking chair on the porch. “You happy?”

“Miserable,” Lucretia deadpanned.

“Knew it,” he said, and gave her a gentle kick.

She reached for her wine glass and sighed. “What about you? Happy?”

“Exquisitely melancholy.”

“Ass.”

He grinned and looked out on the hill their house was perched on. “Julia always wanted a house like this.” Lucretia gripped her glass tight. “You know,” he said, “I never said thank you for taking me where you did.”

“...I wondered later if I'd made the right choice.”

“Don't do that to yourself.” Magnus reached for her hand, and she let him take it. “I don't regret a second I spent there. I'm gonna go back soon,” he said. “I wanna make sure they're alright. Build another house.” He paused. “Do you...want a room there, too?”

Lucretia felt her nerves alight with fear and love and a certain _thrill_ all at once. She looked at him. “Do you mean that?”

“I mean every damn word I say to you, sis.”

She grinned. “Then yes. Yes, I want a room there, too.”

Magnus's cheeks were wet. Lucretia felt something slide to the corner of her mouth and realized she'd been crying the entire time. She squeezed his hand, and all felt right with the world.

 

* * *

 

Lup and Barry got married the season after Carey and Killian. Lucretia never thought she'd attend the wedding of two reapers, but it was certainly nothing to miss.

Late into the night, Magnus extended his hand, and she followed him onto the dance floor.

“You never got married,” he said.

“No. I never needed to. I had a duty to the world. That was marriage enough.”

“And now?”

Lucretia laughed. “Magnus. You should know me better by now.”

“No, no, I do. I just...don't want to be the person who holds you back. What if there's a nice captain or duchess or someone or there who, you know, really tickles your fancy.”

“Magnus.” He looked right at her. “I am exquisitely, perfectly, and _infinitely_ happy. I told you. I don't need someone to be in love with me.” He gave her a spin. “I just needed someone to spend the rest of my life with. And I found him.”

He laughed and sort of sobbed at the same time. “I missed you so much, you know. I don't think I knew, but the second I remembered, it's like...something got filled in. Something that was shaped like you.” The song ended and they stopped. “I missed my sister so much, and now I get to have her for the rest of my life.”

“We're going to grow old together,” she said.

“Yeah.” Magnus grinned and wrapped her up in a quick hug. “You're damn right we are.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> title and lyrics from "everybody lost somebody" by bleachers.
> 
> tumblr @ weatheredlaw


End file.
